Mooring Pennants and Pickup Sticks

[Acadia426]

I've just begun to moor my boat in a field where the marine service purveyor does not use 'pickup sticks." Other than saving money, has anyone come up with a good idea why not to have a pickup stick?

What have others done to keep the mooring pennants as clean as possible so the fore deck doesn't become a gooey mess of slime?

Thanks.